A tripped board on a winter's night or a socket that crackles when you plug something in needs sorting quickly. Before anyone turns up, though, it helps to know roughly what the bill will be. In Brechin, as across Angus, the cost comes down to two things: the time of day you ring and how long the repair takes. The same fault can cost noticeably more at midnight than at midday. Below is what you're likely to pay, and a few ways to stop the bill creeping higher than it should.
| DaytimeMon–Sat, 8am–6pm | EveningMon–Sat, 6pm–10pm | Overnight & Sundays10pm–8am, Sun, bank holidays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call-out fee | £0 | £150, includes the first hour | £195, includes the first hour |
| Minimum charge | £100 (covers 2 hours) | £150 | £195 |
| Each extra 30 minutes | £25 | £45 | £50 |
| Deposit before setting off | None | £50 by text link | £50 by text link |
| Cancel after James sets off | £0 | £50 (deposit kept) | £75 (deposit + £25) |
| Parts | Extra, agreed first | Extra, agreed first | Extra, agreed first |
| VAT | None | None | None |
Current prices and the full cancellation terms are on the emergency electrician Brechin price list.
Daytime emergency call-outs cost a minimum of £100 for two hours
Most Brechin and Angus electricians set a £100 minimum for an emergency visit during the day, and that normally pays for the first two hours of labour. So if the fault is fixed in half an hour, the charge is still £100. Where a job goes beyond two hours, each further 30 minutes is usually billed at £25. Daytime rates generally run from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday; ring outside those times and the price goes up.
That minimum pays for the electrician's time and travel, not for parts. A replacement socket, fuse or consumer unit is charged on top. Before booking, ask what the rate is once the minimum period is used up, and check whether VAT is included in the figure you've been given.
Evening rates start at £150, which includes the first hour on site
In Brechin, an evening call-out starts at £150, and that only covers the first hour on site. It costs more than a daytime visit because the electrician is working after normal hours. Go past that first hour and each extra 30 minutes is £45. Parts and materials aren't part of the fee, so allow for them as well. You can help keep the cost down by describing the fault clearly on the phone, so the electrician turns up with the right kit and parts in the van. Ask what happens to the price after the first hour before you agree to the visit. If nothing is dangerous, waiting until morning for the cheaper daytime rate is an option. If you can smell burning or see sparks, don't wait.
Overnight and Sunday call-outs cost £195 for the first hour
When the electrics go overnight or on a Sunday in Brechin, the first hour on site is likely to cost £195. That is £45 more than the evening rate, which reflects the extra electricians charge for working unsociable hours. Overnight pricing normally runs from about 10pm until 8am, but every business sets its own times, so it's worth checking when you call.
Once the first hour is up, expect around £50 for each further 30 minutes, plus whatever parts are needed. If a consumer unit has to be replaced or specialist parts tracked down, the total will rise accordingly.
Bank holidays are usually charged at the same rate. Where the fault isn't dangerous, making things safe and waiting until normal working hours will save you money.
Additional time is billed in 30-minute blocks from £25 to £50
So what if the repair takes longer than the first hour? Extra time is charged in 30-minute blocks, normally somewhere between £25 and £50 each. Which end of that range you pay depends on when the work happens.
A daytime block costs £25, an evening block £45, and overnight and Sunday blocks £50. Say an electrician takes 90 minutes to sort a tripping circuit at 2am: that's the £195 first-hour charge plus one block, so £245 in total.
Many electricians round up to the next whole block, which means 35 extra minutes is billed as an hour. Ask how part-blocks are charged before the work begins. That way there are no surprises, and you can compare prices between electricians in Brechin and the rest of Angus.
Out-of-hours visits require a refundable £50 deposit before dispatch
Most Brechin and Angus electricians will ask for a £50 deposit before coming out after hours. It covers them against wasted trips, because a night or weekend drive, perhaps out along the A90 or to a farm up one of the glens, costs fuel and time whether you're in or not. The deposit is normally paid by card through a secure link sent by text, and the electrician won't head off until it has gone through.
Once the job is done, the deposit is taken off your final bill. If the electrician can't make it, you should get it back in full. Usually the only times you lose it are if you cancel after they've set off or you're not there when they arrive.
Before paying, check the refund terms, ask how long a refund takes to come through, and keep a written receipt.
Prices include no VAT, but replacement parts cost extra.
A lot of electricians offering an emergency electrician Brechin service are sole traders under the £90,000 VAT registration threshold, so their call-out and hourly rates have no 20% VAT added. That can make a real difference: on a £150 emergency bill, it saves you £30. Larger firms have to charge VAT, so always check your electrician's VAT status before work starts.
Bear in mind that the rates you're quoted are for labour alone. Any replacement parts that get fitted, such as fuses, circuit breakers, sockets or a consumer unit, are charged separately. A new RCD is priced and agreed before it goes in, while replacing a whole consumer unit can add several hundred pounds. Ask for parts to be listed line by line on the invoice so you can check each one, and get a parts estimate before the repair begins.